1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a biochemical analysis system which deposits a sample liquid such as blood, serum, urine or the like on a chemical analysis slide having thereon a reagent layer whose optical density changes by chemical reaction with a specific biochemical component contained in the sample liquid and determines the concentration of the specific biochemical component in the sample liquid by measuring the optical density of the slide.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There has been put into practice a biochemical analysis system using a dry-type chemical analysis slide with which a specific component contained in a sample liquid can be quantified through a droplet of the sample liquid deposited on the slide. When chemical components or the like contained in a sample liquid is analyzed using such a dry-type chemical analysis slide, a droplet of the sample liquid is deposited on the slide and is held at a constant temperature for a predetermined time in an incubator so that coloring reaction occurs, and the optical density of the color formed by the coloring reaction is optically measured. That is, measuring light containing a wavelength which is pre-selected according to the combination of the component to be analyzed and the reagent contained in the reagent layer of the slide is projected onto the slide and the optical density of the slide is measured. Then the component to be analyzed is quantified on the basis of the optical density using a calibration curve which represents the relation between the concentration of the biochemical component and the optical density.
In such a biochemical analysis system, the chemical analysis slides are transferred to the incubator one by one and then removed from the incubator after measurement. As disclosed, for instance, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 61(1986)-26864 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,296,069, conventionally the chemical analysis slides are loaded in the incubator from the outer peripheral side of the disk-like rotary incubator and then removed therefrom by pushing them from the inside of the incubator toward the outer peripheral side or taking them out from the outer peripheral side.
However in any of the conventional systems, loading and removal of the chemical analysis slide must be effected in separate positions and accordingly the mechanism for loading and removal of the chemical analysis slide is complicated in structure.
That is, a mechanism for depositing the sample liquid and a slide holding means which holds virgin chemical analysis slides are provided adjacent to the loading position where the chemical analysis slide is loaded in the incubator, and accordingly the chemical analysis slide which has finished with measurement cannot be taken out in the loading position and must be taken out in a separate position. Thus the mechanism for loading the chemical analysis slide and the mechanism for taking out the same must be separately provided, which complicates the mechanism for loading and removal of the chemical analysis slide.
Further any trouble in transferring the chemical analysis slide can give rise to a problem that the reagent layer of the chemical analysis slide cannot react with a sample liquid deposited thereon for a predetermined time at a predetermined temperature, which results in deterioration of the measuring accuracy. Thus it is important to surely load and remove the chemical analysis slide without trouble in order to ensure the measuring accuracy, thereby improving the reliability of the analysis. The complicated mechanism for loading and removal of the chemical analysis slide is disadvantageous from the viewpoints of both the reliability and the cost.